The present subject matter relates generally to a device that provides light with reduced glare using light emitting diodes. More specifically, the present invention relates to an LED light source that filters and spreads light from the LEDs using various optical components before emitting the light in a target direction.
As LED technology has advanced and the diodes have gotten brighter there has been an increasing glare issue due to the intensity of the light source. This glare is increasingly a safety hazard for motorists driving at night.
Previous LED light systems have tried using angular refraction to reduce glare, while others have tried to use more conventional means of putting the LED diodes into a reflector housing and not using individual optical arrays. Other previous approaches include utilizing more diodes over a given array, which is a common, though more expensive, way to gain a softer light spread. Further, some previous lighting specifications are calling for a 4000° kelvin or lower light color instead of 5000° kelvin or above to soften glare.
Previous light systems using angular refraction rely on the use of total internal reflection (TIR) lenses. Those lenses are constructed on an individual cone refractor basis, which individualizes the optic for each diode. While seemingly effective, this approach lacks the ability to provide a seamless and transitional light source. The resulting array becomes spotty and often incorporates the use of a more complex plate system with openings for each optic. This extensively complicates the assembly process with many parts that are more expensive and labor intensive while still not pleasing to the eye in its final result.
Some previous systems have utilized pulling the diodes up into a conventional reflector system while partially hiding the actual light source from meeting the eye. The approach can be somewhat effective in solving the glare issue, but there is a definite loss of light due to bouncing it off of a reflective surface and there is a loss of beam control as well. This approach also makes for a more bulky fixture and can be a poor utilization of leveraging the flexible strengths of implementation LED technology. Using a lower kelvin count can help to curb the glare effect to some degree, although dropping below 4500° takes the LED outside of its optimal efficacy range and delivers very minimal results in curbing glare.
Accordingly, there is a need for reduced glare LED light device, as described herein.